title: Antibodies are forever: a study using 12-26-year-old expired antibodies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate whether the shelf-life of diagnostic antibodies is longer than the expiry date on the label.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four independent laboratories tested a small number of diagnostic antibodies kept at +4°C for 12-26 years, and found them to work perfectly on routine histology sections.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Diagnostic antibodies may have a workable half-life in excess of 10 years, and the emphasis on performance should shift to the preservation of antigenic targets in the tissue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, AO San Gerardo, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Argentieri
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pilla
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vanzati
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lonardi
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Facchetti
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Doglioni
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Parravicini
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cattoretti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000737:chemistry; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000737:chemistry; D004356:Drug Storage; D005615:Freezing; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D055550:Protein Stability; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal
keywords: antibody; expiry date; immunohistochemistry